In Hunter Thomas’ crime novel A Swell Lot of Thieves, a repo man’s work recovering goods that haven’t been paid for leads to violence that soon threatens his life.

As the story opens, recovery man Derek Hatchett is repossessing the prized vintage Chevy of the spoiled “Frankie Boy,” son of the owner of the premier law firm in the small Arkansas town near Little Rock. Hatchett—the “son” in Hatchett and Son Recovery—has recently returned from Panama where he took part in the U.S. invasion and is a skilled fighter with a penchant for Wild Turkey and American Spirit cigarettes.

Shortly after successfully taking the car, Hatchett is called to identify the body of Jack Bowman, a colleague killed when his van is forced off the road. He is soon singled out as a suspect by an officer new to the Arkansas police ranks.

When asked to investigate an incident involving stolen goods, Hatchett finds himself further mired in the fallout of Bowman’s murder. But it’s his father, a former Marine now dying in a hospital, who makes sense of the clues to lead Hatchett to the killers and their motive.

This is a fast-moving crime novel featuring a hard-drinking protagonist who is often on the wrong side of the law himself but at heart is one of the good guys. While the tough-talking violent characters lean toward stereotypes, they fit the plot and play their roles well. Dialogue is crisp and Hatchett’s snide remarks are entertaining: When asked to identify Jack’s body, he confirms it with just a glance: “He’s the only idiot who would wear a shirt like that,” he tells the detective.

Readers who seek a page turner with renegade characters and unexpected turns will enjoy this novel.

Also available as an ebook.